NEW YORK — As religious leaders and health advocates worldwide respond to Pope Benedict XVI’s recent acknowledgment that condoms reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS, Planned Parenthood, as the single largest provider of sex education in communities across the United States, continues its work educating individuals about the risks of HIV/AIDS and helping them protect themselves from infection.

The simple fact is that scientific research demonstrates that condoms are an effective and important tool in the worldwide fight against HIV/AIDS, as well as other sexually transmitted infections.

1.When it comes to HIV,using a condom makes sex 10,000 times safer than not using a condom.[1]

2.There is no medical reason why someone can’t use a condom.[2] Even people with latex allergies can use them — there are latex-free condoms made of polyurethane and polyisoprene.

3.Condoms have been around a long, long time. The earliest known illustration of a man using a condom is a 12,000–15,000-year-old painting on the wall of a cave in France.[3]

4.One in four acts of vaginal intercourse is condom-protected in the U.S. It is one in three among single people.[4]

5.People who use condoms feel their experiences are just as pleasurable as people who don’t.[5]

6.Ninety-three percent of sexually active American women aged 15–44 have had a partner that used a male condom.[6]

7.Condom availability in places of need around the world is increasing significantly, with 25.8 million female condoms provided through international and nongovernmental funding sources in 2009. Condom distribution increased by 10 million between 2008 and 2009.[7]

8.The condom is one of the most accessible and inexpensive forms of birth control available. The cost of condoms is as low as $0.04 per unit.[8]

9.The vast majority of American teens (68 percent of females and 82 percent of males) use a condom the first time they have sex.[9]

10.Only 39 percent of American high school students are taught how to correctly use a condom in their health classes.[10] Programs that teach young people about abstinence as well as contraception, including condom use, help youth to delay first sex and use condoms and other forms of contraception when they do have sex.[11]

“In the midst of the political and moral debate surrounding condoms in the last few days, it is critical that people who are sexually active reduce their risk of sexually transmitted diseases by using condoms,” Kantor explains. ”Using a condom is always safer than not using a condom, and with the variety of condoms widely available today, everyone can find the fit and feel that’s right for them.”

PROPER ATTIRE® condoms, available in Planned Parenthood health centers, are just one example of new condoms available to consumers. With fifteen glamorous styles, PROPER ATTIRE condoms are a safe, fun and stylish way to protect against pregnancy and STDs.

[4] Findins from the National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior, The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 7 (Supplement 5).

[5] Sanders, Stephanie A., et al. (2010). “Condom Use During Most Recent Vaginal Intercourse Event Among a Probability Sample of Adults in the United States.” The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 7 (Supplement 5).

[6] Mosher, W.D. and J. Jones. (2010). Use of Contraception in the United States: 1982–2008. Vital and Health Statistics, 23,(29), Table 1.

Planned Parenthood is the nation’s leading provider and advocate of high-quality, affordable health care for women, men, and young people, as well as the nation’s largest provider of sex education. With more than 700 health centers across the country, Planned Parenthood organizations serve all patients with care and compassion, with respect and without judgment. Through health centers, programs in schools and communities, and online resources, Planned Parenthood is a trusted source of reliable health information that allows people to make informed health decisions. We do all this because we care passionately about helping people lead healthier lives.